The Love Our Gulf Contest engages students to promote the need to preserve, protect, and restore our coastal resources. We encourage youth artists to present works reflecting or expressing an element, environment or emotion of the Gulf Coast, its life, traditions, and future. Art works can be traditional or interpretative and innovative but should draw inspiration from the coastal landscapes, wild life, products, people and ways of life in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Region.

Sponsors

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) 36 acre campus is the State of Alabama’s Consortium of 23 colleges and universities and it consists of marine research facilities, marine science graduate and undergraduate programs, k-12 marine science education and outreach, as well as a public aquarium. The campus is located at 101 Bienville Blvd., Dauphin Island, AL.

Art Does It (ADI) is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) arts organization focused on the development and presentation of the arts through collaboration with community groups and the engagement of individuals of all ages in the arts. The ADI gallery is located at 1101 Bienville Blvd., Dauphin Island, AL.

Art Media Award Categories Defined:

Animation: 2D or 3D drawings, paintings, computer graphics, or photographs of static objects (Motion Photography); includes all techniques other than the continuous filming of live-action images.

Ceramic: All original clay work (wheel-thrown, slab, coil, etc.)

Drawing: All art works created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush.

Digital Art: This category includes any original work for which the original image, or the manipulation of other source material, was executed by the artist using a computer. The art must not include copyright protected images taken from the internet. Traditional photographs taken through a digital media should select the photography category even if they have been manipulated in post-processing using a computer.

Fiber/Textile: This category focus is on unique, high quality, and original designs of both wearable and decorative artwork. This category is intended for handcrafted fiber, straw, leather, or other similar materials.

Glass: The expression of art through transparent or translucent objects made from blowing or fashioning glass. No forms or mass production are permitted.

Jewelry: Original jewelry made from precious and non-precious metals, gemstones, enamel, glass, clay or fiber. There are no limitations regarding the range of materials and processes that are used. Work should be wearable or designed to wear on clothing.

Mixed Media: 2 and 3 dimensional work incorporating more than one type of material that is not sculptural. Utilizing a different medium as an under painting or in a minor secondary role does not meet the intention of this category. Materials that are used must be evident in the finished work.

Painting: This category includes two-dimensional images other than drawing, printmaking, or photography. It includes all forms of application of paint, dyes (such as batik), and similarly applied materials. It is acceptable to use computer software to “paint” an image.

Photography: The film camera or digital camera is the principal means by which an image is made. One-of-a-kind prints, as well as multiple prints are included. An image created on photographic paper by direct exposure, without a camera, is also acceptable. Prints made from negatives or digital files and manipulated with computer programs and printed on large scale ink jet printers are included here as well. Photographs used in a collage or composite must be made by the artists, and are included in this category.

Printmaking: Includes any method used to pull an image from a surface (stone, block, plate, screen, etc.) that is prepared by the artist. The image may be deposited on any type of surface (paper, foils, films, cloth, etc.).

Sculpture: Work that is made of any material or combination of materials and is three-dimensional is included in this category. Sculpture made from Clay, Glass, or Wood are encouraged to apply in their own medium category.

Wood: Original works that are hand-tooled, machine worked, turned or carved are accepted. Works may be functional or non-functional.

Videography: The continuous filming of live-action images, may or may not include sound.